How Exercise Can Improve Your Gut Health
Research suggests that moderate exercise can make your gut healthier.
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Our gut microbiome is at the core of everything we do. It can significantly impact our health, from controlling inflammation to affecting our mental health. There’s a direct link between our guts and brains, as I’ve discussed in previous newsletters.
Making sure your gut works right is key to a healthier you. And there are so many things you can do today to change your lifestyle and your gut microbiome for the better. It’s not just about the food you eat.
Recent research, for example, has linked exercise to good gut health. Let’s talk about how exercise can impact your gut and how to get enough (and the right kind) for a healthy gut.
The Positive Impact of Exercise on Gut Health
Numerous studies have linked exercise to better gut health. Part of the reason is that longer-duration exercise allows more oxygen to reach the brain and bloodstream. This oxygen release allows for good bacteria to continue to flourish.
Exercise can also reduce inflammation in the gut. Studies show that it has an anti-inflammatory effect because it helps reduce your overall visceral fat. But also, every time you exercise, you improve the anti-inflammatory environment in your gut.
In addition, exercise can also improve the number of beneficial microbial species within your gut. One study involving rugby players showed that exercise positively impacted the gut microflora. Another found exercise is capable of stimulating bacteria, which protects against several gastrointestinal disorders as well as colon cancer.
All in all, it’s pretty clear that exercise has some great health benefits for our gut. But how do we make sure we get enough of it? And what is “enough” anyway?
Duration Over Intensity Is What Matters For Your Gut
You know how people often say it’s all about quality rather than quantity? Well, when it comes to your gut and exercise, the opposite might be true (kind of).
Research shows that it’s the duration rather than the intensity of the exercise which matters most when it comes to gut health. One study found that moderate physical activity of at least 150 minutes per week increased both the richness and biodiversity of the gut microbiomes of study participants when compared to those who worked out less.
The study concluded that what mattered most was how long someone exercised rather than how hard the workout was. This means that as long as you’re moderately active for 150 minutes each week, you could be helping your gut get healthier.
But you have to make a habit of it. Changes to your gut are both transient and reversible. What this means is that you need to keep exercising to continue to experience the benefits.
Incorporating Exercise into Your Routine
Incorporating exercise into your daily life doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to slog away at the gym, doing intense weights sessions to see the benefits. You could try to make exercise part of your daily life.
Get Walking
I talked about all the health benefits of walking in a previous newsletter. Apart from being a moderate form of exercise that’s accessible to many, it comes with a whole host of benefits like better heart health, reduced risk of common chronic diseases, and better overall balance. How about taking a little walk during your lunch break every day? Every little bit counts.
Get Some Kitchen Workouts In
Waiting for the kettle to boil? Get some movement in. If you’re home alone, there’s no one watching. You could do a few star jumps or even a few lunges and wall push-ups. Remember, it all adds up.
Try Walking Meetings
If you have daily catch-up meetings at work, why not suggest a walking meeting in the nearby park instead? As long as you don’t have to go over lengthy agendas and documents daily, your catch-up could easily be used to talk about project progress while getting some walking (and fresh air in).
Walk, Don’t Drive
Need to run an errand? Ditch the car if it’s walkable. Yes, I know. A car journey that takes 5 minutes might take almost half an hour of walking. That’s kind of the point, though. You’ll get your errands done and get your exercise in. Win-win.
These are just some ways to incorporate activity into your life without even having to hit the gym or join a workout class. Of course, if you’re an avid gym goer or love your weekly Spin class, that’s even better! But the point is, you can start small. It’s all about tiny, barely noticeable changes that lead to something big.
DISCLAIMER
All content is for informational purposes only. No content or opinions are offered as medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it based on any content herein.